


Chasing a Noctiphany

by vastwaters



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Abuse, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Injury, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Romance, F/M, Mild Gore, Secrets, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:06:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24961285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vastwaters/pseuds/vastwaters
Summary: A tale in which the infamous leader of the Phantom Troupe, Chrollo Lucilfer, finds his interests deviate from the usual. Coming across a supposed anomaly that inhabits a young woman, he finds his undivided attention increasing for the latter too.- A canon divergent HxH story with an original female character! Rated Mature but if a certain chapter contains explicit content the reader will be notified accordingly beforehand.
Relationships: Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer/Original Character(s), Kuroro Lucifer | Chrollo Lucifer/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

_You will find that what you desire  
Among all hue and cry  
That which will intrigue you more  
Than any other satire_

_Bound by chains yet untethered  
Uncommon yet befitting the spider_

_Tread forth upon its heels  
Let it venture into the distance  
For only when darkness engulfs_

_Beleaguered by death;  
Thereupon you will acquire._

‘Danchou.’

Awoken from his slumber, Chrollo’s eyelids partially opened to reveal grey eyes, dreary and heavy. The blur in his vision diminished as he continued to blink, allowing the smudge in his sight to steadily take the form of a person. Turned around in the passenger’s seat sat a blonde male of fairly muscular posture, his impartial face betrayed by the scant concern that lingered in his eyes. 

‘Yes, Phinks?’

‘Ah-’ Not having expected the immediate reply he spoke falteringly, ‘We are almost there.’

‘I see, is everyone else in position?’

Behind the steering wheel, a ringing voice sounded, his bright green eyes appearing in the rear-view mirror.

‘Hmmh!’ Shalnark hummed affirmative, ‘Pakunoda and Nobunaga have already arrived. A limousine is awaiting you in our next intersection. I will drop Phinks off next and then infiltrate the premises to gain access to their security.’

Chrollo gave a nod of his head before leaning it back into his seat. He recollected the memories of their previous heist as his eyes glued onto the roof of the car. He had chosen for a vault that contained ancient treasures and artifacts which were to be transported to a museum for viewing. Their intentional plan was to rob the places of the gems, though he had his eyes set on one in particular. 

A noblewoman Sosho, renowned for both her alluring beauty and promiscuity centuries ago, had set out to Egypersia. In her diary, which she had left in the drawer of a temporary residence, she wrote how her lover had gifted her a precious gemstone. One that had been mined from a lode nowhere to be longer found. They had succeeded in obtaining the treasure but in the process, something else had caught the eye of the spider’s head.

In the corner of the room, minimally secured as if it was a negligible item, laid a skull atop of a small sculpted pillar. In the hollow spaces of its eye sockets were two stones that resembled rubies. Chrollo had picked it up out of curiosity to discern the gems as Shizuki ascertained the place was left spotless. Though upon contact, black fog emanated from the skull and an eerie disembodied voice spoke inside of his skull. He recalls the sentence that struck him most.

_‘You will find that what you desire.’_

__

__

_‘That which will intrigue me more than any other satire.’_

_‘Beleaguered by death.’_

When the fog had dispersed the gemstones inside of the skull had crumbled into black sand and its jaw hung unhinged. The occurrence had not ceased to be on his mind ever since.

_What do I desire? Have I not fulfilled them? And what is it that intrigues me? How am I to study the inner workings of humans if I am unfamiliar with the inner workings of myself?_

Chrollo had always been composed, his thoughts in an orderly line and he himself affectedly behaved. Though, he was still perspective as ever. He had not failed to take notice of the worry some of his group members harbored at the sight of him and the slight tension that lingered had not gone unnoticed either. They were not accustomed to see their leader in a pensive mood, though none had dared to approach him about it. For Danchou to grow withdrawn and introspective meant that he was possibly dealing with matters beyond their grasp.

He diverted his eyes from the car roof and reached for the book inside of his jacket. Flipping the pages, he indulged himself in the tales and findings of human exploration.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a big white room under a glistening chandelier were dozens of tables set. Servants passed by with trays containing food and bottles of drinks to refill glasses. All attendees were dressed in appropriate clothes: slightly eccentric and whimsical. Many wore ostentatious dresses, expensive garments adorning various body parts. Chrollo himself wore a black suit, though the tattoo on his forehead and earrings did not make him seem any less conspicuous. With the corners of his lips tugged into a charismatic smile, he maneuvered his way through idle talk until he came to be in possession of the information he sought for. 

From the corners of his eyes, he recognized Pakunoda. She was sipping from a wineglass as she took part in the tedious talks of the bidders. He noticed the number on her board: 126. _All is going well_ he thought to himself.  
When the auctioneer appeared at the stage to commence the auction, Chrollo excused himself from the group he was engaged in and took his leave, much to the dismay of the women who particularly had enjoyed his company. Strolling through the hallway of the royal seeming building, a voice talked into his voice.

_‘Danchou, you need to take a left here.’_

He had planted a chip just between his earlobe and earring in case the location had changed. Shalnark had mentioned that the organizers were extremely cautious and that he would have to redirect him. Lacking the telepathic skills, the duo had to rely on electronics for communication.

Chrollo turned left and faced a door that guided him to a dark staircase. Unbothered by the spine-chilling quietude he strolled down the steps.

_‘These guys came prepared. You are entering confinement where my tracker almost can’t reach. Been a while since I have had a challenge, definitely nen users. Keep going straight, danchou. Do you remember the password?’_

His path was blocked by yet another door and he halted in his steps, his shoes clicking against the stone floor.

‘A merry summer, for the waters of spring to dew the petals of the cherry blossom.’

The door clicked and opened with a loud creak, revealing a hooded figure in the pathway. His posture made the Phantom Troupe leader look miniature. He carried a fire, literally. The flames danced in the palm of his hand, the orange hue lightening the obscure place.

‘No funny business. One misstep and I will incinerate you. Understood?’ His voice gruff and malicious.

Chrollo nodded and the man in front made way for him. The door behind them closed with a loud shut.  
The plan was to infiltrate the auction, though it weren’t the offers they had come for. The event was merely a way to avert the unwanted attention from the exchange of actual illegal and of incalculable value goods. Due to intel collected by Shalnark and some minor rumors, the spider had managed to find his way. Pakunoda’s role was to prolong the auction as much as possible by increasing the bids by just the right amount. They had limited time.

It was a cramped space. Dim lit by torches and occupied by criminals all over the world. Words were exchanged in hushed manners as secrecy was the prime concern of malefactors. He scanned the room and eyed another figure just momentarily: a robed individual with his hair tied in a single topknot. He was sitting on a barrel, his arms crossed in front of him as he supposedly studied the cracks between the stone tile floor. Nobunaga did not look up but could feel the gaze of his leader upon him. Instead, he closed his eyes and nodded in acknowledgment.

‘Raven?’

Upon hearing the assumed name, he turned around to face the woman. She was tall, her identity behind a red mask. Blue strands of hair framed her face, contrasting deeply against the grey colored dress she wore. She extended her arm, awfully pale and slim. He reached into his pocket and took out a box that he laid into her palm. The encounter was brief. The moment she received what she had wanted she turned around and walked away.

 _24 hours_ he thought to himself. _Kortopi’s ability only lasts for that long._

Nobunaga peered up to meet Chrollo’s gaze from his lidded eyes, an inquisitive look resting on his face as he awaited a response. In return, he slightly shook his head. 

The transaction had been completed within the speculated time. He had to entertain himself for a little longer before taking his leave. The remaining members of his group were assumingly still busy with their own duties.  
He skimmed the room, taking into view the many wares and stock that were to be sold. He was convinced that the possessions underground were of more value, but severing the ties with some of the dealers and making an enemy of them was not worth the effort. His attention was eventually drawn to scrolls and worn-out books set out on a stand but a loud crash prevented him from proceeding. He turned to the source of the sound and watched a conflict between two people unfold.

‘I sincerely hope you have the means to compensate for that.’

‘Compensate? Me? You should not put antiques in such a place that makes it inevitable for them to break.’ 

‘You should watch where you walk.’

‘And you should watch your mouth.’

The man reached for his weapon but was suddenly engulfed in flames, his clothes set on fire. A shrill scream pierced through the air as he succumbed to the ground in desperate and futile attempts to put out the fire. He continued to howl in pain as everyone else simply watched, none rushing to aid him. His shouts and cries eventually broke off as he dropped with a thud: now a black and ashen corpse. The merchant sighed in defeat before walking toward the dead body, his hands going through the burnt clothes in search of something valuable.

Whimpers and squeals of anguish could be heard from the other side of the room. Cowered in a cage, young women dressed in scanty clothes were covering their faces as their bodies shook uncontrollably in fear. 

_Sex traffickers_

Although for a cold-blooded person that committed remorseless crimes and was renowned for mass-murders, sex trafficking was something he would never partake in. Usually, he did not bat an eye, a firm believer that every person would have to experience their own traumas no matter how harsh or unfair, but one of the captives struck something inside of him.

The reaction of the others was not caused because of the death of the man, but because of the person that was imprisoned along with them. Its frame inclined him to believe it was female: small yet feminine. Its face, however, bore an inhuman countenance. Pitch black eyes pierced through the bars of the cage and settled on the dead body, its equally dark mouth agape. 

‘It’s back! Help, help us! It’s back!’ 

One of the girls cried as she pulled on the bars of the cage, yelling at captor that did not stand far away from them. There was an accent in her voice which he could not distinguish, but he watched as the captor moved closer, a malevolent grin plastered across his face.

‘Formidable!’

He unlocked the cage and grabbed the being by its collar, dragging it out effortlessly for it did not struggle in an attempt to free itself. A small crowd formed around them and Chrollo’s curiosity was piqued once more. He decided to move closer to watch from afar, but his eyes widened as the phrases subdued in the back of his mind unraveled and he stopped in the midst of his steps. 

_That which will intrigue me more than satire_

Tugging onto the metal chain that was secured onto the metal collar around its neck, he pulled the being to the middle. 

‘Transporting her amongst some whores was the only way to get her here but here you have it, a firsthand look on…’ He paused, the grin widening, ‘Possession.’

The crowd erupted in various talk and chatter; whispers of disbelief swapped in-between. Eventually, someone emerged from the crowd. They wore a white tunic covered by an orange cowl, though he was unhooded. Disheveled white hairs were pulled into a messy knot and he circled the being, scrutinizing it from a safe distance.

_Among all hue and cry_

‘What is your price?’

The crowd fell silent, all awaiting a response from the captor. 

‘Five.’

‘Million?’

‘Billion.’

‘Deal.’

The small gathering burst out in a cacophony of gasps and contradictions, all dubious about the fact that someone was willing to pay such an amount of money for a foreign being. The captor emitted a laugh in triumph and handed out the chain for the buyer to complete the transaction but was interrupted by a defying scream.

‘No! Please! Do not take her, I beg of you!’

The cage’s door had remained unlocked and another captive had run out of it. She knelt in front of her captor and hung onto his legs, pulling desperately onto his clothes.

‘I will do anything, anything you ask. Please, please do not give her away!’

‘You bitch, get back into your cage this instant!’

He kicked forcefully into her stomach and she rolled away from him, spluttering and gasping as she wrapped her arms around herself. She struggled onto her feet, only to cling onto the white-robed man that now had a grip onto the chain.

‘P-please… take me with you. I can’t be without her. Take me too, I beg of you.’

‘I told you to get back into your cage!’

He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up. She was crying, her legs kicking as her was hoisted into the air.

‘Let me go! Let me go!’

She grew to be rowdier, her arms now flailing alongside her. Her hands eventually came in contact with him, the slap echoing through the room as the sound bounced off the walls. She gasped upon realizing what she had done and retracted in fear, her eyes widening.

‘I-I am sorry- I do not mean t- oh no, no no no, please! N-’

A blade glistened under the light of the torches, followed by a squelching sound. Chrollo had not seen it, but the gurgling sound that ensued for just a moment was enough to validate what the cause of death had been. There was a soft thud and he saw the second body of that day lie limp on the ground, blood trickling from underneath to form a crimson pool.

‘ZA…NA…?’

The being spoke with a monotone voice, its eyes set on the dead body in front of her. Its new owner wanted to set off, but it did not budge from its spot. Instead, it spoke again, the black gape that was supposed to resemble a mouth forming into a black line.

‘ZANA…’

‘Come along now.’

The new owner’s patience ran thin when its newly acquired pet refused to cooperate, now evidently annoyed. He tugged harsher onto the chain.

‘I said, come along n-’

The chain dropped with an audible clink from the metal meeting the stone floor. Attached to its end was a detached arm, the hand still firmly gripping onto it. He required a few moments to process as to what happened to his arm. Blood gushed out in vast amounts through the hole which was now created in his shoulder and he desperately clung onto it, grunting arduously at the sudden loss of blood in massive amounts.

_Bound by chains yet untethered_

The crowd slowly dispersed, carefully walking backward before everyone scurried off to different corners of the room, hurriedly trying to leave the perimeter in fear of the being who now looked up from the corpse to the original captor.

‘Move!’ someone yelled

‘Get out of here!’

Chrollo stood his ground as he continued to watch the being, unperturbed as everyone else made haste to leave. The captor gulped, slowly creating space in-between them.

‘Ainen- it is me-‘

With each step he took away, the anomaly moved along.

‘YOU KILLED.... ZANA?’

‘It was not like that- Ainen- pl-’

It happened fast.

The being disappeared from its spot and appeared behind the captor in the blink of an eye. He had moved too slow and could not turn around in time. Before its small body could even materialize, it shot its arm through the broad back of its captor, its arm emerging from his chest. He coughed blood, choking and gasping before giving into the weight his buckling knees could no longer support. His hands rested on the small arm that extended through his chest, in its grip a heart that gave off its beat for the last time before it was crushed in a potent grip. Blood splattered the brick walls and stone floors, dousing the candle flames that illuminated the area around the cage. The young women inside had cringed in a corner, all staring in stupefaction. 

The being withdrew its arm and watched the body fall flap. A dark shadow enveloped it fleetingly and Chrollo saw the pitch-black eyes and vanish from sight, now replaced by human features. 

It was a woman.

She blinked; fuzzy brown eyes unable to make anything of the scene before her. She staggered in her steps trying to reach for something to support her but failed to do so. She eventually collapsed beside the dead bodies sprawled across the floor.

_‘Danchou-- It is ti-- you have to l--’_

Loud static sounds interrupted Shalnark but he had gotten the message either way. 

_That what I desire_

He walked over and looked down onto the young woman who lied unconscious before kneeling down to scoop her into his arms. He lowered his head onto her chest and closed his eyes, concentrating.

A heartbeat. Faint, but it was there.

He studied her face, the way her lashes rested against her cheeks. Her mouth was slightly agape with warry strands of dark brown hair plastered across her sweaty face. Questions raced his mind at the sight of her, inquiries he would have to find answers for in due course. 

_‘Danchou.’_

__

__

The line had stabilized now and Chrollo walked the opposite direction of the exit. 

‘Shalnark.’

_‘Yes, Danchou?’_

‘There has been a change of plans.’


	2. Chapter 2

‘So, what happened again?’ 

‘I told you: her eyes were immensely big and pitch black, as if she was inhuman. It looked like she teleported even be-‘

‘Before she dug her hand through the chest of her captor?’ 

Quietude settled in the room when all eyes settled on the sleeping figure of the unfamiliar girl. Nobunaga had carried her to the rendezvous point: an abandoned church in the outskirts of the city that had been neglected during construction. The roof had not been finished, allowing moonlight to shine down upon them in the midst of the night. With some lit candles, the place remained unshrouded by absolute darkness. He had been entrusted to escort the girl while Chrollo remained behind to wrap up unattended business. As far as the group was informed, the objective had never involved getting hold of a person.

The initial plan was for Danchou to meet up with a mafia associate for delivery, though he never intended it for it to be genuine. He was to give up the gemstone they had taken a hold of during their previous heist in exchange for something he had yet to inform them about. Kortopi had made a copy of the gemstone for him to barter with. It was the receiving end that would have to deal with the repercussions, the exchange had taken place after all. In twenty-four hours, the gem would disappear and a nen ability wearing off would take the guise of an object somehow having vanished. It was a petty trick, one that would most definitely work. Their adversary was a fool to let an intermediary manage the trade-off.  
In the meantime, Pakunoda prolonged the auction by increasing the bids with the slightest amount. Towards the end of the event, Franklin and Phinks announced their great appearance. To live up to their reputation, they wreaked havoc and robbed the place of the many valuables and riches it harbored. 

So how did they end up with _her_? Danchou had never been one to take an interest in people, let alone possess himself of a pet. Though, his recent behavior had been rather a little odd as of late. All of the subordinates wondered if this was a byproduct. They had also not received any other orders, other than for the girl to remain untouched and unharmed until her arrived. He would decide her fate. 

‘I find it hard to imagine, Nobunaga. If what you say is true, if that somehow, she does possess the strength you speak of, then how the hell did she managed to get captured in the first place by such low-profile criminals?’

‘I do not know.’

‘You said that she was possessed?’ This time a female voice spoke up. Machi’s blue eyes peeked up from warry pink strands that hung loose from her updo, the inquisitive gaze set on Nobunaga. She was inspecting the girl he had brought with him in an attempt to discover the reason for her sudden insensibility. They had tried to wake her up which led to no avail. Feitan had suggested he try but considering Chrollo had given strict orders to not injure her, the rest of the subordinates had agreed that that might not be a good idea. Feitan had his own wicked idea of awaking someone. 

‘That is what her captor said and I almost feel inclined to believe him. I cannot think of anything else that explained those… demonic features.’

‘So, it was not nen?’ Phinks asked, swirling the last bits of beer around in the can in his hand.

‘Are you an idiot or just acting like one? Someone with even the ability to use nen could not end up in a position like that.’ Nobunaga grouched back.

Before a fight could ensue between the two men Machi let go of the hand blood-covered hand and stood up, interrupting them. ‘So, is she a hostage?’

‘She is not.’

Everyone turned around at the sound of Chrollo’s voice, who walked into the church with slow strides. The group that had circled around the girl made way for their leader to approach her. She still laid blissfully asleep, his jacket covering most of her exposed skin. She had been minimally dressed and shivering due to the cold. Chrollo had taken the courtesy to cover her with his jacket before confiding her with Nobunaga.

‘Is it true then, Danchou? Did she kill someone? Someone like her?’ Phinks asked with emphasis on the last word, his hands dug deep into the pockets of his tracksuit as he hovered above the young woman, closely examining her features. Her hair was unevenly cut at a length that reached the neck, skin lightly concealed by dirt and grime. He noticed fading bruises along the length of her jawline and on various other parts of her body that laid uncovered in the light. Chrollo nodded in response to the question, though he did not avert his gaze from her. 

‘Her captor indeed said she was possessed, though I doubt even he was certain. I suppose we can only find out by asking her. Pakunoda?’

With crossed arms a tall slender woman emerged from the circle, her hands crossed over her chest. She had long changed attires and had finally discarded the dress she wore to the auction. Now dressed in her suit, she was finally recognizable again by her group members. She knelt beside the young woman and brushed some of the hairs off her forehead before resting her fingers against it, her movements followed by a series of recent events unfolding before her.

_The back of a van cramped with scarce space to move. A group of girls whose ages varied, all huddled up in anguish. To the left was a girl with blonde hair who smiled forcibly, her trembling shoulders and bloodshot eyes making her state of despair known._

_The click of a metal bolt, whimpers and soft cries. Petrified expressions that each and every one of them bore, all terror-stricken to the bone. The sound of porcelain meeting stone, a fire followed by darkness._

Pakunoda’s eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why darkness engulfed her vision. She wanted to reach out, explore what was beyond it to gather more information but was suddenly deprived of the air in her lungs. She withdrew her hand in an immediate motion, as if it had been in touch with hot coal. She bent over, catching herself on her forearms as she heaved, desperate to supply herself again with oxygen. 

‘Pakunoda!’

Machi rushed to her aid, a hand settling atop of her back as her brows furrowed in confusion. She had seen her use her nen ability many times but had never seen it cause such appalling aftermath for either Pakunoda or the person she was trying to read the memories of. 

Chrollo remained unfazed whilst the majority of the group had been caught off guard at the sight of her bent over. 

‘Pakunoda, are you all right?’ He asked.

‘Yes… Danchou.’

With the help of Machi, she stood up, struggling to regain her balance without supporting hands to hold her up.

‘What happened?’

‘I- I do not know. I read her thoughts but suddenly there was a blockage. I do not know how and why. I tried to get past the blockage and that is when…’ Pakunoda rubbed against her forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache throbbing against her temples. She tried it to shake it off which proved to be futile, much to her dismay. ‘I saw her get transported, it was brief, but I kept seeing a blonde girl recalled. There was a fire? It ended there.’

‘Thank you, Pakunoda.’

With that, she gave a nod of her head and retired to the shadows of the building in search of somewhere quiet to sit for a momentary abatement.

‘Danchou… that blonde girl… wasn’t that the one that...’ Nobunaga questioned, unsure how to finish the sentence, partially in disbelief of what he had seen.

‘Yes, the one that had her throat slit.’ 

_Zana_ , he recalled.

‘Do you think her powers activated upon the death of a friend?’ Feitan asked, his voice slightly muffled behind his bandana.

‘I do not know for sure. Her appearance had taken the form of some sort of anomaly before the death of her supposed friend. I have reason to believe that it instigated the murder at least.’ 

‘What are we to do with her then?’ The voice was deep and gruff. The tallest of the members spoke out, scratching his head as he pointed at her. Uvogin wore a white tank top and shorts as usual, unbothered by the chill the night had to offer.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Chrollo’s lips. ‘Are you not intrigued, Uvogin? We have something amidst us that is beyond our comprehension. I wish to know more about her ability.’

A wide grin plastered across his tanned face, the muscles tensing in his forearms as he balled his hands into fists of considerable size. ‘Danchou, are you planning to weaponize her after learning of her abilities? That would be quite something.’  
Amused as always by his apparent excitement, a smile manifested on his face.

‘Weaponize her? She is as frail as frail can be. I find it hard to believe th-’ A soft sigh emitted from the direction of the girl interrupted Nobunaga midsentence and the group grew silent.

Her eyebrows twitched as she moved in a restless manner, the movements causing the jacket to slide off her. She blinked awake, her vision clearing and a half-moon entering her vision. The starry sky sparkled light down upon her and she got up with drowsy movements, still unaware of the sudden changes in her environment. She brought a hand up to rub the weariness out of her system but was then overwhelmed by a strong metallic smell. Pulling her head back, she stared into her hand.

Crimson red, patches of dried blood that had begun to flake off due to the friction against her face.

‘What-’

Ainen gasped, holding out her hand to confirm her suspicions about the slight moistness that covered her skin. As her eyes trailed upwards to inspect her hand more closely, they met about a dozen other foreign sets, all looking at her in curiosity with a twinge of animosity. Her eyes widened upon the sight of them, unable to identify any of the strangers that had her surrounded. 

_Where am I? Who are these people? Have I been sold? Where is-_

A weight settled in her chest when memories were cast back into her mind. She was to be sold on auction but was thrown into the van with the rest of the girls who were to be bought by procurers. She had not known why but had not fought against Fleiman in his decision.

 _Fleiman_.

The knot in her chest tightened as she recollected the events. Zana had been there too. Zana who was frightened out of her wits and who had been clinging onto Ainen. She had said numerous times that she did not want them to be drawn apart from each other and that she prayed the procurer would buy the duo together, if not the whole bunch. Everything else that followed was vaguely suppressed in the back of her mind, but she could still recall some of it.

Zana whose head had been pulled back in order to expose her neck, Fleiman’s grip tight around the roots of her hair. She had struggled against him, her cheeks wettened by her tears as she flailed wildly with her arms, doing her utmost to free herself. Her actions proved to be in vain. Fleiman had unsheathed his dagger and twirled it in its grip before he had pressed the blade against her neck. With one slit, he had gashed her throat open. Ainen remembered how Zana had wrapped her hands against the gushing wound, blood gathering in vast amounts in her mouth as she continued to choke, slickening her skin a deep shade of red. The way her body had grown limp and dropped against the floor with a thud as the blood pooled below her. She remembered the putrid smell, the twitch in her limbs as she was drained of life.

_She had deserved better. She- ___

__‘Hello?’ A deep voice resounded._ _

__Ainen’s vision focused as she was surged back into reality, her eyes settling on the strangers before her anew. She swallowed the lump in her throat, biting down onto her quivering bottom lip. _I cannot mourn Zana. Not now. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know who these people are_. In poor attempt she tried to reorder herself, the loss of her friend almost too much to bear in the face of new probable enemies. _ _

__‘Who… who are you?’_ _

__‘I am Chrollo.’_ _

__Her eyes darted to a young man dressed in rather formal clothes that stood close by her. His hair was black and sleeked back to reveal an oddly cross-shaped tattoo on his forehead. His grey eyes bore through her in a rather unsettling manner, but she did not shy away from staring back at him. He leaned down to her height and offered her a smile, one that seemed amicable, but his subordinates were well acquainted with the charismatic facades their leader would adopt in order to get what he wanted._ _

___And he always did._ _ _

__‘I was at the auction and saw you lose consciousness. The place turned into rather one chaotic mess and I took it upon myself to take you with me.’_ _

__‘Why did you?’ Her response was sharp, interrogative. Chrollo realized she would not come easy._ _

__‘You killed Fleiman. He was the one that captured you, right? I had my eyes set on him for a while now, but you beat me to it. I could not have his henchmen pursue you after you completed the job for me.’_ _

__A blatant lie. After he had assigned Nobunaga with the task to bring her back with him, he had stayed to interrogate the girls in the cage and the dead man’s accomplices who eventually suffered the same fate as he did. He had learned of his name and the crimes he had committed. There had not been much background information on her either, but he would have Pakunoda deal with that later now Ainen had regained her consciousness. He had seemed unperturbed when her hatsu backfired, but as a matter of fact, the occurrence had only agitated his inquisitiveness. _Just what was he dealing with_?_ _

__‘There… there was a girl with me. She was blonde. Is…’ She gulped, swallowing audibly, ‘Is she…’_ _

__Chrollo feigned an apologetic look, his eyes downcast. ‘I am sorry. Was she your friend? She was killed just before you killed Fleiman.’_ _

__‘I see.’_ _

__She gripped tightly onto the jacket that lay on her lap, her lips pursed into a thin line. She wanted to cry, let a stream of tears roll down the sides of her face. She had grown very fond of Zana in a short time._ _

__No not only her._ _

___They_ had grown fond of Zana. _ _

__Realization struck her. She had not killed Fleiman. She could never have. Which meant…_ _

__‘You said you saw me kill Fleiman?’_ _

__The sudden shift in her tone alerted not only Chrollo but the rest of the group too. Nobunaga’s hand trailed toward his weapon, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he eyed the girl from the corners of his eyes._ _

__‘I did.’_ _

__‘Then you saw it.’_ _

__‘Excuse me?’_ _

__The puzzle pieces fell in place. He had not brought her to their hideout as a sign of gratitude, no. He had undoubtedly seen _it_. There was no other reason for a criminal to escort an otherwise fairly ordinary girl to his retreat. Given her condition, Ainen had learned how to discern situations at a rather quick pace. After all, she had to compensate in other areas for her lack of strength._ _

__‘My eyes and mouth… they were black, yes?’_ _

__That is how the others had described it. She had never seen herself in that way, but she had heard how her countenance would change. How her skin would turn sickly pale and for her own features to make way for diabolical ones. They had said her eyes turned into big black hollow areas, her mouth in similar semblance._ _

__Chrollo realized he had to be cautious with his choice of words and teeter accordingly at the line between honesty and mendacity._ _

__‘They indeed were. It must have cost a lot of your energy to utilize such a nen ability. I have never seen anything of the like.’_ _

__Her eyebrows furrowed at him, confusion apparent on her face as she repeated the foreign term after him, ‘Nen?’. The word feeling unfamiliar on her tongue as she stared at him befogged._ _

____So it is not nen__. Chrollo thought. Pretending to be equally as confused, he blinked at her. ‘Yes, nen. Was that not your hatsu that you displayed?’_ _

__‘Hat-su?’ Another term she was not known with. ‘I- I am sorry. I do not know what these are. I have no idea what you are talking about.’ She confessed, not wanting to make a fool out of herself._ _

__Chrollo did not want to push his luck any further for the night or raise any suspicions towards his being by inquiring anymore about her ability, as much as he wanted to. The way he perceived it to be is that she currently had nowhere else to go. He had killed all other accomplices and tied all loose ends. Fleiman had not a reputation built for himself. He kidnapped women or bought them for low prices from impoverished families only to sell them again. Chrollo had not managed to learn more about Ainen, all the other men admitted that Fleiman had suddenly brought her along after her previous owner had wanted to discard himself of her. Who this previous owner was, they had no clue. Unfortunately, Fleiman was in no state to answer that question himself. Apparently Ainen seemed to be possessed, the men having witnessed rare occurrences where her facial appearance turned demonic. After they could no longer provide him more information about her or her condition, he had killed them._ _

__‘I see. I had assumed you possessed some sort of ability to kill Fleiman. These sorts of abilities have their own names but from what I gather you are not familiar with them, never mind my questions.’ He withdrew himself and straightened his back. ‘Tell me, do you have somewhere to stay? I would be happy to escort you.’_ _

__She shook her head._ _

__The same good-natured smile reappeared on his lips and he extended his arm, opening his palm towards her. He had more questions, questions that would have to wait. She did not seem hostile, though the distrust was perceptible to blind eyes even._ _

__‘Then… how about you stay with us for the time being?’_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Chapter two! I never thought I would get 40 hits in just a few days, wow! Please let me know what you think of the chapters. Also, is there a way to upload documents from word? I am not familiar with this site and how it works. It is tiring to reformat everything and I think I broke the italics html code, some things are left unslanted :(  
> On another note: sorry if the chapters are a bit on the shorter side. These are only the first chapters and I do not want to overwhelm you with a lot of information and besides, not much is happening yet. Babysteps! Enjoy the chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn broke to announce the start of a new day, a bright orange breaking through the purple hues in the sky. Faint rays of sunlight radiated through the stained-glass windows, adorning the fragmented floor and cracked walls of the church with vibrant colors. Many of the group members were awake, each attending to their personal duties whether that involved sharpening blades or indulging in a rare moment of leisure. Ainen was the last to wake up, propping herself up onto her forearms as she shivered underneath the jacket, trying to guard herself against the morning chill. Everyone was dismissive of her presence, none batting an eye to the ‘visitor’ who had just awoken from her sleep. Her eyes ventured the room, subconsciously in search of a particular set of grey ones she failed to locate.

He had offered her a place to sleep and she had accepted, not having anywhere else to go to, though she had not imagined for them to overnight in a church in hindsight. Her suspicions had become unfounded when he dismissed last night’s interrogation, having stated that her abilities didn’t align with the idea he had had regarding them. Ainen had appreciated his hospitality but was doubtful of his intentions for the same reason. She remained skeptical about his disposition, unsure what his motive was to provide her with accommodation. She has had encountered many people that took on the pretense of kindness in order to take advantage of her and was unconvinced he was any different.

_Not Zana, though, Zana was different._

The scenes of her murder played in front of her afresh, as if it was a broken record on loop. There was a slight tremble in her shoulders, the knot in her throat threatening to unlace if she dared to think about her friend one more time. Truth be told, she had not been acquainted with her for long. Their friendship had been built in a short span of time and had lasted equally so. Though every night in her presence, she had felt comforted. In an environment so dreary they had found themselves in, they still had managed to find the merriment they could not find elsewhere.

She had been there to dress Ainen’s wounds and patch up her injuries after the many test and trials Fleiman would carry out on her. _To awaken the beast_ he had said to account for his actions as his abuse endured, desperate for the demonic features to take place on her face as a result of the torment. She had never understood why he was so desperate to accomplish in his actions. After all-

‘Sleep well?’

Dragged out of unpleasant memories, she looked up to face a woman standing next to her. Her most prominent feature was her nose, its bridge curved downwards. Her second next outstanding feature was her chest, cleavage thoroughly exposed. A faint blush crept onto Ainen’s cheeks when she caught herself staring and she quickly detached her gaze from the woman’s bosom to meet her brown eyes.

‘Ah- yes.’

If it were not for her exhaustion, she would not have gotten a single minute of sleep. The stone floor was not particularly a pleasant for a delightful repose. The woman sat down next to her and Ainen had to ensure her eyes did not trail downwards once more.

‘I am Pakunoda. How do you feel? You were passed out when you came here. Did something happen?’

She laid a hand on top of Ainen’s, a comforting gesture, its true devious intent unbeknownst to her.

‘My name is Ainen and I feel okay now, thanks for asking. I- I don’t know how I came to lose consciousness.’

 _It has been a while since Emos took me over, it drained me_.

‘I see. May I know how you came to be where you are in the first place?’

Before Ainen could reply, a flurry of images and scenes extended to Pakunoda’s mind.

_Green pastures that stretched to where the eye could see, a child dancing through the high grasses she was surrounded by, a cat at her feet._

_The meadow replaced by the mouth of a river, water streaming past her ankles as the same cat of before lay dead in front of her._

Darkness engulfed but this time Pakunoda did not try and force her way through, instead, she transferred memories of recent history.

_The soles of her feet ached as she ran down a slippery slope, tiny rocks cutting against the calluses. A searing pain enveloped her chest as Ainen inhaled in raggedy breaths, having lost her sense of time since she had started her getaway. She eventually slips and topples down a hill, branches cutting into her skin as she attempts to decrease the speed of her fall. Her back eventually comes in contact with the trunk of a tree, the force knocking out any remaining air she had in her lungs._

_Ainen is in a dark room, the smell of wood rotting away due to mold overwhelming her sense of smell. A man with a whip is flogging her numerous times in livid motions. His mouth is moving, screaming at her to go away. Angrily shouting to give him what he wants if she does not wish to experience the consequences._

_She is standing before a mirror, her clothes drenched in blood and hands formed in claws. Tears stream down her face when her hands refuse to retract the claws, the joints shifting painfully underneath her skin. A man knocks on the door, telling her the van will be leaving soon._

‘I was kidnapped.’

 _A half lie_ , Pakunoda thought, _you would have actually had me fooled were it not for my ability_.

‘Danchou he himself said you killed your captor in a rather remarkable manner. If you possess of such strength, how did you manage to get captured in the first place?’ A slightly muffled voice inquired.

Her head turned to the sound of the source, a figure of small stature that had a book held out in front of him, his black hair covering the sides of his face. She swallowed at his percipience, realizing she had to tread carefully.

‘I was being blackmailed.’ Ainen eventually settled on.

_Another half lie_

‘My captor said that if I refused to cooperate that he would inflict harm on someone I held dear, so I had no choice.’

Feitan flipped a page in response, not looking up nor paying her any more mind. Pakunoda withdrew her hand, having gathered the information she needed. She would have to tell Chrollo after he returned.

They were in a secluded room, only rubble and a broken door separating them from the rest of the group. Pakunoda leaned against the wall, Chrollo sitting opposite of her. He had entered the room through another entrance, not having wanted Ainen to spot him. He wanted to learn of the information Pakunoda had collected before announcing his arrival to the rest of the Spider.

‘It appears she lived a fairly normal life up until the start of her teenage years. Every time something detrimental happened in her memories, there is a black shroud. I could not get past it; it felt the same as the darkness from last night. Whatever it is, it is blocking certain memories.’

‘I see. What else?’

‘At some point she escaped. Whether it was home or a temporary residence I am not sure, even when the black shroud isn’t there, I feel like it still prevents me from fully accessing major parts of her memories. She was eventually caught by the man you call Fleiman. She could have fled at any time, but she had a fondness for the girl Zana, which is why she stayed and did as told. She endured some abuse at the hands of the man. I believe he did not want her but the thing that lives inside of her.’

‘Have you learned anything about it?’

‘She calls it Emos. It is a being that supposedly inhabits her. I think Fleiman tried to draw this… Emos… out of her by hurting her. Though it did not work.’

‘So, she is possessed?’

‘It seems like it. Though I suppose she harbors no malevolence towards it.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘It seems as if she is protective over it.’

‘Or perhaps scared?’

She slightly raised her shoulders in defeat, admitting she was unsure and feeling even more lost than she did before. They had hoped for her memories to provide them with some clearance but instead they had been left more puzzled.

‘Danchou.’

‘Yes, Pakunoda?’

‘Are you going to recruit her?’

He stood up, hands burrowed in the depths of his pockets as he stared at the ceiling, scrutinizing the cracks and stains caused by water leakage.

‘Only the strong can join the spider. Something potent might live inside of her, but I am afraid she herself is incapable of taking the role of a leg. No, she will not join us. That does not mean that she will leave us, however. I want to learn more about her. We have never come across someone like her. Are you not curious about the extent of her abilities, Pakunoda?’

She gave another shrug of her shoulders, hesitant to reply. ‘She is wary. I doubt she will open up anytime soon.’

A faint smile played around the corners of his lips as he recalled a line of a novel he had finished not too long ago. ‘ _The most prized of possessions can only be obtained through travail._ ’

Although they were mindless of her presence, she had still been offered something to eat and drink. Not much later after Pakunoda had left her, two men had walked into the church carrying big brown paper bags with food and various other supplies. One of them wore a purple outfit and his green eyes glistened when he had approached her with a warm beverage and sandwich. Shalnark, was his name. His personality contrasted greatly with the rest of the group during his effort to make her his acquaintance. Additionally, he took the courtesy of introducing everyone else which earned him several spiteful glares.

‘-Oh and that is Nobunaga. He is the one who carried you here last night.’

The robed man with his hair in a topknot kept his eye on his blade as he continued sharpening it.

‘Thank you.’

‘You needn’t thank me. I did not escort you out of kindness, it was simply tasked to do so.’

 _Gee, so much for showing my gratitude in an attempt to thin out the tense mood in the air_ Ainen thought.

‘Though you brought her back unscathed, Nobunaga, no need to discredit yourself in such poor taste.’ A honeyed voice spoke. Ainen noticed that this was the second time Chrollo made a sudden appearance, indicating that despite his absence he could always be lurking somewhere nearby in just an earshot distance. He was dressed differently now: wearing a dark purple fur-collared leather trench coat, its front unbuttoned to reveal his muscular chest and abdomen underneath. He walked out of the shadows with Pakunoda in tow.

‘Good morning, Ainen.’

‘Good morning.’

‘I hope you slept well. I wish I could have accommodated you with better sleeping arrangements, I am afraid we were unable to leave this place for the time being. However, transportation has been arranged so we can take our leave in a bit after breakfast.’

‘I am coming with you?’

Looks were inconspicuously exchanged amongst the rest of the Phantom Troupe _she is coming with us?_.

‘Unless you have somewhere else to be, you are free to join us. Either way, I am in need of a helping hand and seeing how you are more than capable of handling yourself, why do you not come with us?’

Ainen bit down onto her bottom lip, taking a moment to weigh the options laid out before her. She had no other choice than to accompany him. She was unfamiliar with her surroundings and did not have a jenny to her name. Most importantly, she had no place to return to. No home where people were awaiting her return. Her fate had led her astray, right onto the path that crossed with that of a man that posed to be rather unnerving. She knew he and his group were not innocuous people, otherwise they would have not been present during such a wicked auction. Nevertheless, she did not have any other choice if she wished to stay alive and with a roof above her head, no matter how incomplete it would be. Tightening her grip around the cup in her hand, she nodded her head after a period of contemplation.

She sat in the back of the car with Chrollo, Machi in the passenger seat and Phinks behind the steering wheel. The entire ride they had been silent. Machi stared through the windshield and would occasionally be occupied on her phone. Chrollo sat next to her, his undivided attention poured into the contents of his book. She had tried to create as much space as possible between her and him, feeling unsettled in such close proximity. Despite the fact that he had come to her rescue, he still managed to cause Ainen to mildly lose her composure around him.

‘Ainen, are you all right?’ He finally spoke, his eyes still glued to the pages of his book.

‘Hmm- yes. Why?’

‘You are fretting so much it is making the entire care shake.’ Phinks muttered, his eyes still on the road.

‘There is no need to be afraid. Do we scare you?’ Chrollo asked nonchalantly as he turned a page in his book. Acting oblivious to the state of unease she was in.

‘It is just-’ Ainen sucked in her bottom lip, ‘Your group-’ She was having difficulty stringing together a coherent sentence. ‘Are you-’ She stopped again for a moment, tugging onto the ends of her dress as she thought of the appropriate term to use only to come across none that would come over as derogatory, ‘-criminals?’

‘Is that how we come across?’

‘Why else would you be at the auction?’

Chrollo now looked at her, his grey eyes sharp and piercing through. He lowered the book into his lap, his hand resting on its hardcover.

‘We are the Phantom Troupe, Ainen, have you ever heard of us?’

She shook her head.

‘We are thieves, to be specific. We plunder and rob to our liking, just like we robbed the auction.’

‘So, the other girls. Did you also…’ She hooked off her sentence, hesitant whether she wanted a truthful answer or not.

‘The girls? Ah yes, the ones in the cage. No, sex trafficking has never been something we had interest in. The door had been left open, so I am unsure where they are. The probability of escape had been there, though. Why, did you have any friends among them?’

Ainen shook her head. She had not known any of the girls other than Zana. The thought of her pierced her chest and she knew she was reminded she was not the only one who mourned her death.

‘I am sorry, I appreciate that you brought me with you but- but I do not think I can be useful to you.’

‘But you killed Fleiman. You seem like you can handle yourself.’

‘No, you do not understand. I did not kill him, I-’

_Shit._

Ainen realized she had said too much. She had been able to evade the follow-up questions last night but doubted she could remain any quieter at the sight of his inquisitive eyes.

‘You confuse me, Ainen. I saw you kill him with your own hands. What are you implying?’

‘I-’ She faltered, sinking back into her seat and turning her head to avoid his gaze. ‘I am sorry, but I cannot say.’

She felt his gaze burn in the back of her back but continued to watch the sceneries pass by. _Just what have I gotten myself into this time?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter! We are kind of past the starting point and now diving deeper into the story, wooooo! Thank you for all the kudos, I appreciate it a lot! Feedback is always appreciated, I would love to read in your comments what you think about the story. I am sorry if there are some typos or whatsoever in the chapter. I copy paste everything from word and while reformating, things have the tendency to go wrong. Either way, enjoy the chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

With her chin resting in the palm of her hand Ainen stared through the window, recalling the memories of the previous night. Both Chrollo and Nobunaga had apparently witnessed the murder of Fleiman at her hands and she pondered how long it had been since Emos had directly killed someone. Considering she had not carried a weapon of some sort; she must have relied on her hands. She peeked downwards at her hand which lay in her lap, examining her fingers. She had washed them with some bottled water but without thorough rinsing blood had remained between the crevices in her nails: dried and crusty. There was no other explanation, Emos had made use of the claws she had wanted to keep retracted for an eternity.

_‘That will not do, Ainen. You need to dislocate your joints faster, just like this.’ Veins appeared under wrinkly skin, throbbing dangerously close against the surface. Sharp talons took the stead of his fingertips, a hand no longer resembling that one of a human. Ainen furrowed her brows, a scowl deepening between her eyebrows in a desperate attempt to mimic his movements, though to no avail. Muttering a string of curses under her breath, she instead balled her hand into a tight fist._

_‘Why are you teaching me this? My hand hurts and I want to go out with the others.’_

_‘Kenzo ordered me to do so. Now, do you want to go against his wishes?’_

_‘No, but-’_

_‘Then do as I say. You can go outside to play with the others when you have learned how to do this. Now, again!’_

A sigh rolled off her lips when she leaned her head back, arms crossing over her chest as she tugged the jacket closer to herself. She still wore the battered white dress but Chrollo had reassured that when they arrived at their destination that she would be provided with new clothes and an opportunity to shower. Ainen was desperately in need of one, considering she could physically feel the grime stick to her skin and felt slightly appalled by it. Although she felt a sense of relief that he no longer interrogated her, she was not particularly fond of the quietude. It noticeably discomfited her, if anything else. From the corners of her eyes, she would often steal glances of him, the head of the Spider, who continued to read undisturbed. Her stare lingered at the book in his hands, its cover a deep blue.

‘Isosai Takemira was a great philosopher in his time, he wrote many outstanding tomes.’ A flip of a page, ‘He continually questions human ethics and our reasoning for our deeds. Are you familiar with his works?’

Ainen shook her head in response, bepuzzled at the idea he caught her staring from the corners of her eyes in such short notice.

‘Our ride will still take a little while. If you are interested, I have another book you could read to pass the time.’

Grinding her teeth, she looked away. ‘No thank you.’

‘Not a reader?’

‘I can’t read.’

‘I could teach you if you would like.’ His response had been fast, and a sense of relief washed over her when he did not mock her incapability to read in ill fashion as many others had in the past. She had been taught many things her elders had deemed of great importance, reading regrettably not being one of them.

Her head snapped back to him; eyes slightly widened in disbelief. Ainen had never been offered to be taught how to read, the idea had always seemed too inconceivable and she was not to pass up on the proposal. Chrollo’s face remained neutral, though the beginnings of a smile hinted at the corners of his lips. He had never been one to bother with such trivialities, even amongst the Phantom Troupe members. He, however, had to play each trick in his book to gain the trust of Ainen. He had to dissemble and put on a false front to come across as benevolent. Reading her how to read was just a flimsy preliminary.

‘Really?’ She whispered, eyes slightly narrowing at him.

‘I don’t see why not. As I said, it will still take some time to arrive so why don’t we utilize this time better? Here, I will show you the basics.’

Ainen slid closer to him, no longer feeling as intimidated as before in his presence. She watched him reveal a blank paper along with a pen and leaned down to examine the scribbles he created on the white surface as the fur of his coat tickled her skin. She could not make anything out of the letters and looked at him, a muddled expression lingering on her face which was met by an obliging smile.

‘Do you know what I wrote down?’

‘No.’

‘Your name.’

Her eyebrows lifted in slight amazement when her attention withdrew to the paper, her fingers trailing over the scribbles.

‘Words consist of letters of the alphabet,’ He continued, now noting down sundry symbols as she watched keenly, intent on learning. ‘These are the letters of the alphabet.’

*****************************************

One long car ride and a session of tutoring later, they arrived at a motel. Ainen’s mind felt foggy due to all the information she had received, though she was grateful for his effort and time. When he had told her that they would pick up their lessons another time she could not have helped but felt a tinge of joy. Despite how frightening he could appear, he seemed kind of nature to her and possessed incredible patience considering the many mistakes she made during the time he educated her. When she opened the door of her motel room, however, relentlessness replaced the elation she was experiencing.

Nothing stood out of the ordinary. There was a desk, a closet, a cheap painting that hung onto the creamy walls and a double bed underneath it.

_A double bed._

‘Everything okay?’

Just a few inched behind her stood Chrollo, slightly entangled as to why Ainen was blocking the doorway. She stepped aside to make way for him and he entered with a bag which he put down next to the door that led to the bathroom. Ainen nervously rubbed her hands together before pointing a finger to the bed, unsure how to confront him accordingly. She had already found the fact that only she and he were dropped off at the motel suspicious on its own. All the other Troupe members had driven off to the next location.

‘The bed.’

‘What about it?’

‘Are we going to share it?’

‘What do you-’

‘When you said I would be of use did you mean- you know?’

‘Ainen, I have no intention to force you into intercourse if that is what you are asking.’

Mortified, Ainen lowered her gaze onto the floor. She had not wanted to connect the dots in such a way to create a vulgar image of him: the circumstances had just put it in place. With her lack of response, a short moment of silence ensued.

‘Besides, we are not here to sleep. I arranged a small pitstop for us so you could freshen yourself up using the bathroom, it is pure coincidence the bed is large enough to accommodate two people. Though I must admit, you should get used to sleeping in close quarters with people. We often don’t have the luxury to arrange fancy hotel rooms in the interludes between our missions. I am also afraid that with our reputation it would be dangerous for you to sleep alone.’

‘I understand. I am sorry, it’s just that after all I went through with procurers it’s the first thing that comes to my mind.’

‘You don’t have to apologize. You have every right to be wary of us, though I hope I will be able to prove to you that we can be trusted. There are some clothes in that bag. If you want, I can exit the room and wait in the lobby for you.’

Flustered she waved her hands. ‘N-No. That would be rude. Please stay here, I will not take long.’

Grabbing the bag, she entered the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Stripping herself of her clothes, she entered the shower and turned on the water, shuddering underneath the cold stream that gradually turned lukewarm. With a bar of soap and cloth, she wiped away the dirt off herself. The water drained a murky grime color under her feet before flowing into the drain. Convinced that the sound of water tapping against the see-through slide and that the shower itself was loud enough, she bit down onto her palm and allowed the subdued grievance to take over at least.

_Zana. Oh Zana. I am so sorry, my dearest friend._

Stifling the sobs behind her hand, she knelt, the water now hot and pouring against her back. She reveled in the burning sensation, nevertheless dissatisfied with the form of punishment she was imposing upon herself for it would never suffice as the retribution she deserved. If only she had denied Zana friendship, the world would not have been robbed of yet another revered soul. It was an endless loop, a continuous cycle of misfortune where faultless souls kept meeting wicked ends at her hands. Another string of sadness tugged onto her heartstrings, the faint cries of another disembodied being ringing in her ears.

_You liked her too, Emos. We both did._

Ainen closed her eyes and could see her, hunched over and crying. A black ashen mass that was capable of mass destruction, curled up in misery.

_It is okay, Emos. I will be strong for the both of us. It can’t be only you that fights for us._

With her tears washed away, she turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, patting the damp skin dry. Reaching a hand into the bag, she took out the clothes Chrollo had picked out for her to wear. A red floral skirt with a white top to match. Casual attire for someone who accompanied the leader of a world-renowned gang. When she changed into the clothes, she slipped into the new sandals he had given her along and momentarily stared in the mirror. Her eyes were slightly red, skin on her arms retaining the same pinkish hue. Combing her wet hair away, she opened the door to see Chrollo sitting on the bed, now wearing a black fitting blouse and a white bandage covering his head. He looked up from his book and gave a nod of approval before standing up.

‘Are you ready to go?’

‘Where are we going?’

‘It has been a while since we have had breakfast, why don’t we go out to eat?’

*****************************************

Chrollo had picked out a rather cozy spot; a sit-down bakery that was a short ride from the motel. They had sat down at a table on the terrace, close to the entrance. She would often get a brief smell of freshly baked goods and buttery pastries, her mouth threatening to salivate at the thought of savoring such delicacies. Shortly afterward, a platter of small sandwiches and treats arrived, along with two cups of steaming tea. High Tea Chrollo called it. Keeping her hands rested on her lap, she looked at him in anticipation.

‘Is there something?’

‘Are you not going to eat?’

‘I do not have much of an appetite. Aren’t you?’

‘I am waiting on you to start.’

‘Ainen, you needn’t my permission to eat. Please, enjoy yourself.’

Carefully, Ainen grabbed a croissant off the plate and bit into it, her palate rejoicing in the exquisite flavors. She could not remember the last time she ate anything else other than stale bread and watered-down vegetable broth and found her present circumstances to be beyond belief. The taste of sugary goodness turned sour on her tongue, however, upon realizing what had granted the situation to come about. Taking notice of the sudden gloom that had taken its place on her face, Chrollo lowered his cup.

‘What is it? Not to your liking?’

‘N-No, on the contrary even. It tastes delicious, but- Never mind me.’ She continued to bite into the croissant in order to impede her ability to speak further; a tactic Chrollo was long familiar with.

‘I would appreciate it if you spoke your mind to me, Ainen. I have allowed you to avoid conversations for some time now, but I will no longer allow you to do so.’

Swallowing it, she downcast her eyes before speaking. ‘I feel guilty to indulge in this food. It feels like I paid for this and the price being Zana. I can’t help but feel this way. I know it sounds stupid, but I also don’t know why you are doing this. This must come at a cost, what do you want from me?’

‘Why is it that you think I want something from you, Ainen?’

‘I-I don’t know. It’s just that my entire life people have wanted something from me. I don’t see any reason for you to be different.’

‘I have told you before, I am simply repaying the debt I have. You killed Fleiman and considering you have nowhere else to go I offered you a spot to stay for the time being. Considering you can handle yourself, I thought it wouldn’t harm you to accompany us. I also see potential in you. Maybe you could join us someday. That is unless you want to leave?’

Chrollo’s crimes had not been short of murder or anything else that could be labeled egregious. He was a corrupt man, one that specialized in every horror known to mankind. Manipulating one’s fears and emotions to his advantage was just one of the many skills he excelled in. He was fully aware of the fact that Ainen had nowhere else to go to and this would grant him the upper hand of the situation. Adopt a mistreated dog and put it in a cage with its door wide open, it still would not dare leave its abode. That pet being Ainen: brittle and now reliant on him.

‘I-I would like to stay with you for the time being. Until I have figured out things, at least.’

‘Very well then. I am glad to have that settled.’

‘Chrollo?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Why do they call you Danchou?’

He lowered his cup, circling a finger over the rim. ‘We are the Spider, Ainen, and I am its head. I suppose you can say I am the leader of the Phantom Troupe. Danchou is what the Troupe members call me.’

‘Do I also have to call you that?’

‘Are you planning on becoming a Troupe member?’

‘Ah no, I meant more to abide by the formalities.’

‘If you would like, feel free to.’

Silence befell them thereafter and Ainen played with the crumbs on her plate, questions still burning the back of her mind.

‘So, there are twelve of you?’

‘Originally there were thirteen. One of us passed away about a year ago.’

‘Oh, I am sorry.’

‘So am I.’

Ainen wanted to ask about the demise of the Troupe member but decided against it, knowing what it feels like to lose a beloved one and being coerced to reminisce. The slight rattle of an empty teacup tore through the stillness and when she looked up, she saw Chrollo staring at her, his grey eyes established on her face. She slightly cowered under his gaze.

‘Is it all right if I ask you questions now?’

She reluctantly nodded.

‘Is someone on your tail? I would like to be wary of any potential threats.’

Shaking her head, she reached out for a small sandwich before answering un a brief and clearly expressed manner, ‘No one is chasing after me.’

‘Then may I know how you found yourself in such a predicament in the first place? I wish for you to tell me the truth. I find it hard to believe you were kidnapped. If we are to travel together then we must be honest with each other.’

She bit down onto her bottom lip, nearly drawing blood, prolonging an answer too long for Chrollo’s liking.

‘Ainen.’ He spoke, his voice still leveled yet more authoritative.

‘I fled. I fled and eventually I passed out the night of my escape due to an accident. Fleiman found me and he locked me up with the others. I could have escaped, yes, but I had nowhere to go. I originally come from a remote village and have no profound understanding of the outside world. I played along as his prisoner. That was the price I paid.’

Chrollo knew there was more, much more. He wanted to inquire her about the anomaly he had witnessed in action, the statements Fleiman had made regarding her condition, the memories Pakunoda had seen and those that had been withheld from her. He desired to know what vicious being was hid underneath her but knew he would have to tread carefully with measured movements. He had to be patient and heedfully carry out the plan.

_Tread forth upon its heels_

‘I see. Thank you for telling me, Ainen.’

She nodded her head, visibly disgruntled with the fact he had compelled her to reveal some of her story. Though, she was aware that he had every right to. Chrollo deserved to know what kind of person he was providing accommodation for and she could not harbor any rancor towards his being for that reason only. No, her feelings of anger originated from the fact that she found herself to be a poor liar.

There was a buzzing sound and she perched up, trying to locate the source of it. Chrollo took out a device from his pocket and read the blue-lit screen. _A phone_ Ainen thought. She had seen Fleiman hold one numerous times but did not know how it worked. Turning it off, he diverted his attention back to her.

‘We are called to return to the motel. Shall we?’

*****************************************

When they entered the motel room, a shriek was suppressed by a hand that firmly clamped onto her mouth. In the middle of the room, two people were bound to a chair, though one had long lost his consciousness and felt cold to touch. The captive that sat motionlessly wore battered clothes, a bloody gag in his mouth. His facial features were indescribable, bruises and various other injuries covering his face. The other person tied to him was a woman, her disheveled blonde hair framing her bruised face and her blue livid eyes set on Chrollo and Ainen. She muttered something; words unintelligible due to the cloth gagging her mouth.

‘You really can’t go screaming around like that, the entire place will hear us.’

Phinks lowered his hand from her mouth before moving aside for Chrollo to come in. Feitan was sitting in the corner of the room as he read his book, showing a lack of concern about the horribly wounded two captives. ‘They weren’t much fun.’ He finally spoke. ‘Her partner gave in rather easy.’

Chrollo stood before the woman, his hands in his pockets as he stared down at her. He knelt down to her height and whispered something in her ear. Ainen had not heard it but seeing the woman’s eyes widen in fright and watching her proceed to strike with her feet inclined her to believe it was anything but words of reassurance. She watched them breathlessly, her back firmly pressed against the door.

‘Feitan, if you please.’

Ainen had barely seen Feitan move from his place, though in a blink of an eye he stood next to Chrollo, a dagger unsheathed in his hand. In spite of being barely perceptible, she saw a faint glimmer of red on the blade. She gasped at the view and staggered, taken aback.

_No_

Her eyes trailed towards the woman whose eyes were fright-stricken, peeled wide open as a drop of saliva slid down the length of her chin. A thin red line had begun to form across her throat and Ainen could feel a familiar knot form in her chest that threatened to unlace. She saw red lines trickle downwards, past pale collarbones, into the cleavage of the white dress. Blood eventually flowed in vast amounts, not an inch of skin uncovered by it: a view of similar character to one she had seen before. A recollection of memories that poured into her mind before her sight was engulfed by darkness once more.

‘Danchou.’ Phinks apprised, his eyes widening as a drop of sweat slid down his temple.

A faint dark shadow enveloped her, milky skin that had not seen the daylight for extended periods of time turning sickly pale. The ends of her hair shifted in place when she no longer emitted a black shroud, her eyes opening to reveal nothing but null and void instead of the brown color Chrollo had seen before. Foreign terms rolled off Feitan’s lips as he reached for his weapon, assuming a fighting stance as he guarded Danchou with his stature.

‘Feitan, lower your weapon.’

The black-haired thief glowered, reluctantly lowering the sword which he had concealed under his garments as he maintained a safe distance from the oddity that had taken the place of Ainen. Warily, he watched Chrollo walk towards the anomaly, his composure not giving away any of the apprehension he slightly carried at the sight of it. The Phantom Troupe leader extended his hand slowly, studying its reactions to his approaching movements. Words ringed in the back of his mind, his desire to unravel the mystery before him verging on urging him to make hasty, uncalculated decisions.

_For only when darkness engulfs_

‘Danchou, don’t!’ Phinks resounded, his hands balled into fists.

He eventually took a strand of her hair between his fingers, twirling it around. Emos stood motionless, her tinged black eyes goggling him.

‘I am Chrollo.’

‘CHROL…LO.’

‘Who are you?’

‘CHROLLO…’

‘Yes?’

‘CHROLLO I KILL?’

‘Tch.’ Feitan chuffed, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword though he was dismissed, ordered to stand aside. After all, commands took precedence over the life of the head of the Spider.

‘You can’t kill me.’

‘CHROLLO… I KILL.’

‘You kill?’

It nodded its head, pitch black mouth agape.

‘You don’t have to.’ _Not yet, not until I have a better understanding of you_.

‘CHROL…LO.’

He wanted to respond, a flurry of queries threatening to come forth from his lips but a rumble behind him prevented him from doing so. All eyes but Emos’ turned to the remaining captive who was shuddering. All of a sudden, he stopped moving only for his body to be wrung into unnatural positions before it was crushed into minced meat. Bodily remains splattered in a gruesome manner, a fusion of blood, flesh and ground body parts coating the walls and furniture. None of the Troupe members had stayed out of reach, sanguinary remnants now covering their faces and clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, chapter four! I feel like I am getting better at writing fanfiction, it is quite hard to switch between writing styles, especially one I have adopted for a genre I have not written in for a very long time! Writing canon characters is harder than you would have thought! I wanted to get this chapter out before the weekend! What do you guys think about Emos' second appearance? More will be explained about her and the set of rules you have to abide by in due time. 
> 
> I also want to thank everyone for their kudos and comments on the previous chapter! I really appreciate your feedback and compliments, it makes me want to write nonstop! You guys really got me to write four chapters in one week huh ;)
> 
> By the way, does anyone know how I can add divider lines between paragraphs to indicate the start of a new setting? 
> 
> Enjoy this chapter! <3


	5. Chapter 5

BEGIN FLASHBACK

_‘Ainen, run away!’_

_‘Raini?’_

_Raini was brought to her knees, the assailant grabbing fistfuls of her auburn hair to tug back her head, glossy blue eyes shut close due to the throbbing in her head. Her lip had been splintered, a bruise swelling just below her eye. The dress she wore had been cut open in various places, leaving her chest partially exposed. Purple hand marks around her neck and other grazes covering her body signified the offense had taken place long before Ainen had arrived. The young girl’s legs trembled as her brain muted the clamor that grew louder outside, wishing for all of the frenzies to disappear._

_‘Ainen? So this is her…’_

_He was of considerable stature, a broad chest complemented by wide shoulders. A large scar blemished his left eye, a gash that came down from his eyebrow to the corner of his mouth. His black hair was pulled back into a low knot, loose curls framing the sides of his face. He let go of Raini and flung her across the room, a blow rough and vigorous enough to make her collide into the wall with considerable force. Upon contact she heaved for breath, recoiling in pain as her body registered the pain of many fractures._

_‘Raini!’_

_Ainen set out to sprint towards her warden but a strong tug onto her collar sent her flying back. The edge of her shirt caught her by her throat and she struggled for air, the pressure squeezing her windpipe. A large, firm hand wrapped around her neck and she was pulled back to look at the aggressor, his dark eyes devoid of any solicitude. His grip tightened and together with it, she cowered away from his touch, at wits’ end. With her heart in her mouth, she watched him with outstretched eyes, tears threatening to come undone._

_‘Hmm, they never did say you were a kid.’_

_He grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks together in a painful manner. Ainen winced in pain, her small hands making poor efforts to release herself from his grip._

_‘Not putting up much of a fight, are you? To think I was told to come prepared for you, a child, nonetheless. I could have left a third of my men back.’_

_He shoved her away and she wavered, her legs giving out underneath her due to the swift push. He towered above her, a hand reaching to his side to unsheathe a dagger. Ainen’s eyed widened at the sight of it and she finally fathomed the dire set of circumstances she found herself in, realizing it would be her life at the end of the blade. As she tried to crawl away, he dismissed all of her pleas and crying, grabbing Ainen by the ankle to pull her towards him._

_‘N-No, p-please, please!’_

_A shrill shriek pierced through the air when he hauled her towards his direction, throwing her onto the ground and pressing his knee against her chest to prevent her from escaping. He hushed her, tracing the knife over her cheek. She froze under the blade’s cold touch, her body paralyzed by fear in anticipation of what would come next._

_On the spur of the moment, a growl emanated from him and he withdrew his knife, his hand reaching for his shoulder instead. Taking advantage of his abrupt disregard for her being, she scurried away from underneath him and made a run for the door instead. A scream that came from behind brought her to a standstill and she turned around to see Raini being lifted by her throat, her legs kicking in the air as she grabbed onto the hand wrapped around her throat._

_‘No, Raini!’_

_‘L-Leave, Ainen!’_

_Raini spoke with arduous effort, blood trickling down the sides of her mouth as she looked at her from underneath swollen eyelids. A shard stuck out from the man’s shoulder, indicating that he had been stabbed by the woman which he had hoisted before him. There was a downturn in the corners of his mouth, his expression twisting to reveal he had a sense of nothing but ill will._

_‘You want to save her, kid? Then come here.’_

_‘No, Ainen! L-Leave. Run away!’_

_Shivers were sent down Ainen’s spine and caused her legs to twitch as she moved closer, her hands held up in defense as she neared the man. Raini continued to tussle with the remaining strength she had, though the man held her at an arm’s length away with no trouble._

_‘Just like that, kid. Come closer.’_

_Dragging her feet across the wooden floor, Ainen closed the distance between them at a slow pace. When she was within close range, the palm of his hand came in contact with her face all of a sudden and she was sent back flying, traveling through the air before she landed with a loud thud. Pain seared the sides of her head, her vision starting to lack definition as a disoriented look encompassed her face._

_‘Ainen!’ Raini cried._

_‘I told you to come here, kid. Again, and hurry up. You best not leave me waiting if you want your friend here to live.’_

_Staggering onto her feet, Ainen struggled to maintain balance as she advanced towards him with slow-moving steps, buckling knees threatening to give out. Raini wept, her arms now hanging along her sides. Overwhelmed by pain and bent on rescuing Raini, Ainen acted in accordance with his commands. The pain was but a trifling if it meant saving the woman who had taken on the role of a mother. It was Raini who had cared for her when she had been found abandoned, orphaned at the mere age of four. Many villagers had expressed a poor opinion of the decision, painting the woman a fool to take a supposedly cursed child into her custody. Raini had paid their notions no mind and instead had showered the girl with unconditional love and cared for her as if she was her own._

_‘Oh, Ainen. I tried; I tried my best to give you the childhood you deserve. Though-’ Raini coughed, thick blobs of blood sputtering out as she sneered in pain, ‘Though I am afraid that this curse… that this curse will take away…’ She shuddered, repulsed by the metallic taste on her tongue, ‘-more from you than just the lives of those you hold dear.’_

_She sniffled, watching the persistent twelve-year-old proceed with inert movements. Ainen did not realize her actions to be futile, that she was caught in a wicked game and that victory would not provide a fortunate change of events. Raini felt the ache slowly grow numb in her chest, knowing that eternal rest was predetermined. He had caused irreversible damage to her, her fractured ribs having most likely penetrated some of her vital organs. She knew she had limited time and accursed the world for making her resort to unjust measures._

_‘But you must… remember, Ainen,’ She sharply inhaled, no longer feeling any sense of pain in her tattered limbs, ‘-that it’s people that make this world the cruel place it is.’_

_Once again, a punch landed on her face and the child soared in the opposite direction, landing on her back. Stars danced before her eyes, objects in her vision doubling though Ainen refused to concede. Unsteadily, she reeled before perching up, exerting all her energy to prevent faltering once more. Wiping the blood off her face with her forearm, she swayed forwards. Tears streamed down the sides of Raini’s face as she beheld Ainen’s grit, a woeful smile forcing onto her face. This was the child she had fostered, her bundle of joy she was forced to abandon. She prayed that future hardships would not smash her brittle young one to smithereens, but instead render he stronger._

_‘I… I love you… So live, Ainen.’_

_From beneath her ragged clothes, she unveiled a knife, not big in size enough to inflict real damage but any experienced wielder could cause fatalities by aiming for mortal spots. The revelation of the weapon went unnoticed by the assailant who maintained his stare on Ainen, intently watching her._

_‘Emos… kill him…. and run. Kill anyone… that comes… in your way. Safe… your…selves.’_

_With a swift motion, she jabbed the knife into the side of her neck before yanking it out, allowing blood to pour out. Life drained from Raini’s body, the glimmer that was once visible in her eyes dulling out. The weapon dropped onto the floor with a loud clatter and the assailant finally turned his head towards her, feeling the warmth of her blood cover and slicken his hands. He released his grip and Raini’s lifeless body flopped onto the floor, eyes still half-lidded. Wiping his hand onto his shirt, he skimmed the room for the child._

_‘Well, that’s was fun as it lasted. Now, where we- what the fuck?’_

_The same girl who had struggled to stay up just moments ago was now effortlessly standing straight, her face dispossessed of a human countenance. Her skin had turned white, eyes replaced by two dark sets of void and mouth equally pitch black. A dark mist enveloped her, a black film that surrounded her body. He reached for his dagger and took on an offensive stance, the weapon pointed towards her._

_‘’KAY.’ It spoke._

_‘Stay right wh-’_

_The child vanished from his sight and he turned around, frantically turning around to locate her. A blur caught the corner of his vision and with a ferocious strike, he aimed left, only for him to lose a grip of his dagger._

_No, not his dagger._

_A clean-cut detached his forearm from his elbow and the severed limb dropped to the ground, the wooden floor now coated with a concoction of blood and various other debris. His eyes darted to the perpetrator who had remained unstained. A breath hitched in his throat, the horror coming to face with the embodiment of a nightmare more disconcerting than the loss of his arm._

_‘What a-’_

_His eyes burst open wide enough to make it appear as if they were to pop from their sockets, his hands reaching to the burning sensation spreading from the center of his stomach. He pressed his hand against it, blood pushing through the cracks of his fingers like red, veiny egg yolk. His mouth was stretched wide open though no sound came out, a shout trapped behind the lump in the back of his throat as he stared into the oblivion that was her eyes._

_I have come eye to eye with death many times, he thought as his knees finally gave in, though the devil himself will never compete with whatever you are. ___

____

END FLASHBACK

Black eyes were replaced by lidded ones, a set of lips returning to their place when the faint black shroud disappeared. Ainen mumbled incoherently before she stumbled, her head colliding with a rather well-built chest. She burrowed her face into it, wondering what peculiar cushions she had come in contact with, dizzy headed. Two hands were placed on both of her shoulders and she compelled herself to unclog her mind, force herself to return to the present to make up her surroundings. Her eyes fluttered, adjusting to the light in the room.

‘What the fuck?!’ A male voice thundered. It was Phinks. Bewildered, he looked at his blood-covered clothes before his gaze settled on Ainen. Whether he was repulsed by the gore or unidentified cause of death remained undisclosed. He curled away from the bodily remains on the ground, grimacing at the young woman whose face was buried in Chrollo's chest.

Before her vision could manifest, Ainen felt the ground slip from below her feet and fell onto her stomach, face firmly pressed against the wet carpeted floor. A sharp pain wedged against her spine and she felt her arm being pulled behind her, bent into a painful angle. She yelped in pain, her other hand thrashing in an attempt to push off the person that had her pinned down.

‘Let me go! Let me- what the-’

‘Move, and I will break every bone in your arm.’ The voice was Feitan’s, resentment festering inside of him and apparent in his voice. She gulped in fear, not budging from her spot.

‘Feitan, let go of her.’ Chrollo remained calm, grabbing a napkin to wipe off some of the vital fluid that had splattered onto his face.

‘She is dangerous, Danchou.’

‘Are you defying my orders, Feitan?’

With a sharp inhale he loosened his grip and moved aside yet remained the appropriate amount of space in-between them in the event she dared to attack. Instead, Ainen moved on her hands and knees towards the bed. Grabbing the lamp off the bedside table, she held it out in defense. Her clothes were stained by blood, the same color smearing the sides of her jaws and below her chin.

‘Ainen, calm down.’ Chrollo spoke, his words gentle and reserved. With steady movements, he approached her.

‘C-Calm down? What was that for? He attacked me!’

‘Ainen, look at me.’

‘Wh-‘

‘Look at me, only me.’

AInen’s eyebrows furrowed at the command but then her eyes narrowed at the red smears on his clothes, similar stains covered her clothes. The grip on the lamp loosened and she examined her hands and arms.

_Blood?_

With a sharp turn of her head, she squinted at the center of the room. The woman from before was lying dead on the floor, though the other captive she had caught sight of earlier had disappeared. The sense of misgiving she was feeling at the situation broke through to reveal the actuality. In mere seconds her memory returned to unravel the truth.

_Oh no_

Alarmed, she returned her attention to Chrollo who had moved closer in the meantime, his arm now extended towards her. He wrapped his hand around hers, urging Ainen to release her grip on the lamp. No object in her hand would prove to be baneful to any of the Troupe members but he had to rid her of any distrust she harbored towards them. Especially when he was reaching a breakthrough with his scheme. Unwillingly, she let go and he placed the lamp beside her onto the table before his hand lingered on her cheek to wipe away drops of blood. She avoided his gaze, dreading the questions that would come forth. A gentle grip on her chin, however, forced her to look into grey eyes.

‘Are you okay?’

She nodded, fingers nervously digging in the palms of her hands as she flinched under his touch, unable to create any more space between them.

‘The two people I brought here. They were following us and I had Feitan kill the woman because she was a threat. I wanted to interrogate the man, but he suddenly imploded into a mass of blood and flesh. Did you know these people?’

She shook her head.

‘I see. Now, Ainen, I need you to answer me truthfully. Was his death caused by you?’

She remained unresponsive for a moment’s notice before shaking her head again, fingers still fidgeting.

‘Don’t give me that crap! No one else in this room is capable of doing something like that. I saw it, I saw how your eyes turned black. Damnit, you could have killed one of us!’ Phinks’ anger was mounting, rage seizing him as he started removing his tracksuit to strip himself from bloodied clothes.

‘I did not!’ She shouted back indignantly, ‘It was Emos!’

In a moment of exasperation, her filter had dissipated, a state of candor overruling her. The anger that rippled through Phinks partially waned as perplexity instead expressed itself in his face.

‘Emos?’ Chrollo questioned, releasing her chin.

‘I… I am possessed.’ When none of the men bothered with a response she continued, ‘I do not know what inhabits me but sometimes it resurfaces upon witnessing death. I have no control, it happens involuntarily.’

 _So, I was right_ Chrollo surmised.

‘And you… you did not issue a kill order.’ Ainen now looked at Chrollo, brows drawing together and head tilting to the side. ‘Why… why didn’t you? Emos asked you.’

‘I didn’t want you to kill anyone.’ Chrollo answered.

‘Then why did that man die?’ Feitan asked, his stare no longer looking daggers as it did before.

Coerced into admitting ambivalence, she shrugged her shoulders. ‘Until now every time Emos has randomly appeared she has killed someone before retiring. I have never really dared to figure out these particular appearances, I am sorry.’

‘Then she doesn’t always appear when someone dies?’

Ainen shook her head. ‘I don’t know either, but I think she arbitrarily chooses to show up when someone dies. It… it has been a while since I have seen someone die and that woman…’ From the corners of her eyes she took a glimpse of the lady, ‘I guess… she just looked a lot like Zana.’

‘You talk about it like it is a person.’ Phinks pettily quarreled, now standing in nothing but his undergarments that earned him a faint blush from Ainen. Despite the current circumstances, she caught herself get flustered at the sight of him. She was not exactly accustomed to watching men undress in her proximity.

‘Well, she is definitely sentient. She feels just as I do.’

‘You said Emos kills before it retires. Does that mean that any of us could have died?’ Feitan inquired, narrowing his eyes, a glare that admittedly could be mistaken for anger. Under his gaze, there was wariness veiled.

‘She,’ Ainen emphasized, not fond of the fact that they were referring to Emos as an inanimate being, ‘only kills when required. Until now she has never killed someone that wasn’t a menace. Besides, I know you, which decreases the chances of her killing you.’

 _These two were, however, never a threat_ Chrollo thought, his thoughts scattered into hundreds of puzzle pieces he had to construct into one cogent image when given the opportunity to do so.

Unsettled by the silence, she crossed her arms, mouth drawing into a straight line before she bit down onto her lip.

‘Look… I am sorry. I didn’t think I would have to tell you because the chances of seeing someone die before me suddenly seemed very unlikely. I- I can leave. I promise I won’t tell anyone about you guys. But… if you are going to kill me…’ Her eyes fluttered close, elbows pressing into her sides, ‘I ask you to do it quickly.’

 _I am sorry, Emos_. Ainen bit her lip once again, _I don’t think we can survive the outside world, maybe our time has come after all._

She felt something press against the side of her cheek and flinched. A soft fabric rubbed along the side of her jaw and she peeked an eye open, her body remaining rigid. Chrollo was holding out a handkerchief before her face and befuddled, she accepted it.

‘I am afraid you might have to get used to people falling to their sudden demise in our company.' He stood up and removed his bandage, sleeking his hair back. 'Phinks, call for Shizuku. Is there a change of clothes by any chance? We are all in need of a shower, it seems.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, chapter five! Man, it seems like that no matter how many times I reread my chapters before publishing that I will always miss out on certain spelling/grammar mistakes, I am sorry for this! Either way, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! In this chapter, we dive a bit deeper into Ainen's past to get a better understanding of her and Emos. It is important to note that I slightly give my own spin to the being of Ai that possesses her since there is close to none canon material written regarding them other than the fact that they want to please people. Know that Ainen herself does not know much about the prerequisites of Emos' murder grants, she knows about as much as you guys do at this moment ;). I am excited to reveal more about Emos in future chapters. I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and again I want to thank you for your previous comments and the kudos I have received!
> 
> PS. i love chrollo but i cant deny the immense arousal that phinks stirs up in me ok im sorry bye  
> PSS. nsfw phinks oneshot incoming? maaaaaybe :)))


	6. Chapter 6

Water tapping onto tiles resounded from the bathroom as Chrollo absentmindedly stared through the window of the motel at cars passing by, questions racing through his mind as a slight tenseness settled in his stomach. The room had returned to its original neat and tidy state, not a trace of the carnage left behind due to Blinky, Shizuku’s Nen ability. The conjured vacuum cleaner had inhaled all the evidence of the murder; the corpses had been erased from sight and not a drop of blood had remained on the floor.

Chrollo rubbed his chin as he recalled the events that had occurred just half an hour ago, calling the scenarios to mind. Before they had gone to the sit-in bakery, he had called and asked Feitan along with Phinks to bring him two people, though one of them had to match certain physical requirements: female and blonde, it did not matter what the second person looked like. The female’s appearance had to resemble Zana’s, Ainen’s departed friend. He had planned to instigate Emos’ surfacing, though the unpredictability of the consequences had been unaccounted for. He rarely made errors and almost paid a dire price in return. His actions could have cost him his subordinates due to sheer curiosity only and he mentally reprimanded himself for it. Their lifestyles were naturally precarious, perilous moments awaiting them each day, though his intentions were far from exposing the Spider to nonsensical danger.

When the man had perished from existence, reduced to nothing but sanguinary remains, only then did Chrollo realize the gravity of the situation. He had taken in a devil under the guise of a seemingly guiltless lady and it intrigued him more than anything else. His experiment, as fraught with danger as it had been, provided him with some answers about the anomaly at least. Murder must be committed for her to witness in order to force out Emos, though Ainen had contradicted that idea by saying that there were occurrences it had not come about. There was a correlation between the murder Chrollo had arranged and the one that had happened at auction, though it remained unknown and it put him off his stroke.

The second point he discovered was that Emos had to be issued a kill order to prevent erratic manslaughter, though this confuted his former assumption. Back at the auction, a space filled with dozens of strangers, no person had died in a short span of time after Emos had appeared. Instead, she had remained immobile as a crowd had encircled her.

_I must be overseeing some points, something is missing._

Leaning forward, Chrollo placed a hand on his forehead while he studied the carpeted floor. _These involuntary appearances only happen if she witnesses the death of someone, regardless of their relation to her._ Deep in his thoughts, he pondered what the similarity was between the death of the man in the auction and the death of the man he had decreed.

The wind blew against the window of the room, leaves rustling as the air was guided through the branches. Water continued to tap against tile floors, a cacophony of white noise reverberating around the room. His irises widened upon realization, the dots in his mind slowly connecting to bring forth a coherent image. He leaned back, hand remaining on his forehead.

_Kill order_

Fleiman had never intended to sell Ainen to a procurer and his accomplices had told Chrollo, shortly before he killed them, that Fleiman wanted to rid himself of her. The girl was nothing but a nuisance and he was certain that he would make profit off her. The underworld auctions were arranged for the trading in unusual and immoral goods, as wicked and otherworldly as they could be and Emos very well fell into the latter category. Any person that desired absolute power or was captivated by anomalous things would be willing to pay a fortune in order to have such a preeminent being under their command. Fleiman however could have never sold Ainen without credible evidence of Emos’ existence so he had to ascertain her appearance through any means necessary.

_Why would Fleiman want to sell Ainen? Of course, what person would keep a monster they are incapable of controlling when they can sell it for immense amounts of money instead?_

Fleiman, irrespective of the reason, had met the conditions in order to force out Emos. The man that had been incinerated, had been killed due to minor dissension. His death could have been prevented easily unless it had indeed been schemed beforehand. There was no doubt that Ainen’s former captor had arranged a murder for Emos to reappear, and Chrollo had killed someone with the same intent.

_You need to intentionally murder someone as if it is a sacrifice, a life for a life. Whether Fleiman was aware of that fact does not matter, all that matters is that I need to prove this theory. But why, why did no one die instantly the first time? Did Zana’s interference play a part?_

The turn of a knob drew him away from his thoughts and he watched the bathroom door open to reveal Ainen, her damp hair sticking to her neck. She wore an oversized white tracksuit with red and green accents. No spare clothes were befitting her so Phinks’ clothes had to suffice. He was not keen on sharing his garments, nor was he eager to watch her walk in a tattered white dress out in the cold. An ill liability was the last thing he desired so in the end he concurred. The brunette’s eyes were not as puffy as the first time after she had showered, instead, Chrollo noticed she was hardly able to keep them open. With languid movements, she walked towards the bed before sitting down.

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Refreshed and tired.’

She rubbed her face, drowsy eyes watching him by the narrowest of margins.

‘When Emos comes out, does it drain your energy?’

‘Only after she kills someone, and it depends on the frequency of her appearances. At some point, I was used to it, though it still is tiring.’

‘Can Emos come out without murder having to take place?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘I want to talk with her.’

Ainen’s jaw clenched at the response and she could feel the thump of her heartbeat pound against her chest.

‘Why?’

‘I have gotten to know you a little bit.’ _As much as you allowed me._ ‘I think it would only be fair to become acquainted with Emos, if she would like that. I told you before, Ainen, I would like to know who I am allowing to accompany me.’

‘Her answers are very concise; you won’t be able to maintain a real conversation. She speaks,’ Ainen paused, trying to find the suitable term, ‘Rather succinctly.’

‘That is fine by me. I just would like to introduce myself.’ Chrollo stood up and strolled towards the bed before sitting down next to her. ‘I would appreciate it a lot, Ainen.’

Doubt and uncertainty washed over her face, unintelligibly stammers laced with skepticism before she settled for a decision. She was too worn out to be at odds with Chrollo and instead decided to submit to his wishes. Taking a deep breath, Ainen nodded before closing her eyes, her hands motionless on her lap. A dark mist enshrouded her before it receded from view, her human countenance replaced by the notable physical features of the anomaly once again. Black, hollow rounds pierced into him and for the first time in ages, he felt a sense of apprehension. His hand reached out to grab a strand of her hair, twirling it between his fingers, wondering where the smoke had vanished.

‘Hello, Emos.’ He spoke, his voice not betraying him of the agitation he felt in the close presence of an oddity capable of unthinkable atrocities. Simultaneously, it was a source of fascination, and never had he been enthralled to such extent. ‘It seems we meet again.’

‘CHROLLO…’ It finally spoke, the tone of her voice flat and monotone.

‘Yes, that’s me. I am sorry about what happened, Emos. I am sorry you had to kill that person. I did not mean for that to happen.’

Suddenly, it scooted closer, the void in her eyes scrutinizing him from close. He remained still, his gaze never leaving her.

‘CHROLLO…’ A brief pause, ‘PLAY WITH MY HAIR…’

His movements haltered, the strand of hair hanging loosely between his fingers. The request was unforeseen, and he needed a moment to process it before acting accordingly. Ainen had warned him that the conversation wouldn’t be maintained like any other regular one, though the sudden demand caught him off guard for a split second.

‘Of course.’

Long pale fingers trailed towards the back of her head, tousling the damp hairs close to her skull. Satisfied, she leaned closer.

‘CHROLLO…’

‘Yes?’

‘READ… FOR ME…’

‘Read for you?’ He repeated, unsure if his ears were deceiving him.

She nodded, her hands tugging onto his sleeve. ‘READ FOR ME… CHROLLO.’

Withdrawing his hand, there was a slight upturn in the corners of his lips. ‘All right, Emos.’ Chrollo reached out for the book next to him and flipped to the page he had left on and began to read, ‘This is how anthropologists study all over the world,’ He peeked at her from the corner of his eye before continuing, her mystifying stare still set on his face, ‘They describe the morals of peoples and note how much different or similar they are to those of other groups.’

********************************

‘Good grief, is she still sleeping?’ A male voice mumbled.

‘Danchou said that she passed out shortly after what happened. Also, are those Phinks’ clothes?’ The voice that spoke in response was female.

‘Hmm, what’s that? Phinks? Oh, yeah. After what happened just before afternoon, she needed a change of clothes, and Phink’s spare tracksuit is all we had at that moment.’

‘Well, good thing I brought a change of clothes with me suitable for the mission.’

‘Oh look, she is waking up.’

As dusk settled to herald the coming of night, the setting sun left a red cloudless horizon in its wake. Hues of orange allowed faint warm rays of sunshine to dimly illuminate the room of the motel, tranquil and vivid. Ainen’s eyes blinked awake against the calm and golden light, turning dark brown eyes into pools of honey. Her sight trailed to the source of the voices that had interrupted her from her slumber and took a glimpse of two figures standing at the end of the bed frame.

‘Nobunaga and… Machi?’

The pair differed in their attire from the first time she had seen them in the abandoned church. Nobunaga had let his hair down and wore a simple long sleeve shirt paired with white pants whereas Machi wore a black and purple tracksuit, her hair let down and unkempt.

‘Slept well?’

Ainen shook her head in response and straightened herself amidst the blankets. ‘Not really.’ Her brown disheveled hair framing her face as dazed eyes skimmed the room in search of a particular someone.

‘Danchou is not here.’ Nobunaga affirmed. ‘We are here to take you with us on a job.’

Originally, Nobunaga had not been of the same mind. Apart from the fact that she was not suitable for the job due to her lack of skill and experience, Ainen also looked worn out. There was a distant look in her red-rimmed eyes, dark circles underneath indicated the fatigue she experienced due to the continuous possessions. With each sentence she spoke her speech trailed off, head dropping. Although he was not concerned with her wellbeing, the idea of having to watch someone in addition to carrying out a job did not strike him well. Unfortunately, Chrollo had ordered them she return unscathed. Machi had not expressed her diverging opinion as he had, but he knew they were of the same opinion. Luckily the task at hand was a simple one. The pink-haired young woman tossed a bag her which landed on Ainen’s lap.

‘So, dress up and come outside when you are ready. We will explain everything to you on the way.’ And with that said, the pair walked out of the room.

A sigh rolled from between Ainen’s lip as she slowly slid off the bed to undo the zipper. Taking off Phinks’ clothes, she put on the ones provided by Machi: a pair of grey jeans and a yellow shirt. She felt uneasy wearing pants, having accustomed to wearing mainly dresses and skirts for a prolonged time but did not object. Looking in the mirror, she vaguely recollected what had happened between Emos and Chrollo before she fell asleep. He had read to her from his book before he had asked Emos for Ainen to return. Though she had not lasted long after reverting but instead had fallen asleep on the bed.

_Raini used to read for us._

Walking out of the door, the Phantom Troupe duo was already waiting on her.

‘Where are we going?’

‘You’ll see.’

********************************

They sat outside in front of a cafe, the streets bustling about with people as the sidewalks were packed with pedestrians. Businessmen hurried to catch their evening ride home as they scurried past shoppers whose steps slacked due to the weight of the bags they carried. From inside the café, customers could be heard talking and engaging in chit chatter about various topics. The scuff of barstools being moved occasionally resonated after the squeak of the door hinge opening and closing.

‘A bounty?’ Ainen asked, taking the straw into her mouth to sip from her lemonade.

‘Yes. After what happened the previous night a bounty has been placed on our heads. It is not uncommon, but this is quite a hefty one and we wonder who is willing to pay such a price to take us out.’

‘But aren’t you in danger then? Is it smart to sit out here in the open?’ Shifting in her place, Ainen’s gaze darted around the area to notice anything that seemed out of place or mildly shady.

‘No, we are being watched so just act normal.’ Nobunaga confirmed. ‘You are with us, so you’ll be fine, there is nothing to worry about. The idea is to lure out someone who might have any information on the person who placed the bounty.’

‘Why am I here then?’

‘Danchou wanted the Troupe members to look after you whilst he is off to attend matters of his own for the time being. Besides, he wants you to get to know us better. Something about Emos, the thing that inhabits you, having to know people so we may not end up catching collateral damage.’

‘So, you guys know what happened?’

Machi nodded, chin in her palm as she swirled around the contents in her glass. ‘We all do. While you were sleeping, he informed us about what happened. A question, can you let Emos inhabit you to fight in your stead?’

Ainen shook her head. ‘It… doesn’t work like that. I can ask Emos to come out, but she isn’t naturally a violent person. She only kills when ordered to do so by someone else. Conditions must be met beforehand.’

A change of words was alternated through an exchange of a stare between the two thieves before they returned to inconspicuously studying their surroundings. Ainen felt left out, uneasily playing with the ice cubes in her glass that occasionally clinked against each other.

‘Ainen, if you were to be watched and supposedly followed, what would you do?’ Nobunaga asked, his heavy-lidded eyes set upon cars passing by. ‘And your answer better not be something along the lines of going to the police.’

Unbeknownst to them, Ainen had been in a similar situation many times, though she doubted her answer would be befitting of that of a Spider. Unlike them, she did not possess the skills to engage in a fight. ‘I would stick to the busy areas before using that to my advantage to go for an escape. It would be difficult to keep track of someone in crowded places.’

‘Perhaps, but our enemies cannot be fooled that easily. Now you are with us, you need to adapt to our mechanisms. If you run away, then there is the possibility of you getting killed and Danchou would be dissatisfied if that were to happen. With your lack of abilities, you wouldn’t be able to outrun the type of enemies we are facing. They are on a whole other level than what you are used to.’

‘What do I do then?’

‘If such situation would ever arise,’ Machi interrupted, leaning onto her knees as she studied her fingers, ‘We want you to run from the danger before hiding somewhere until we come to get you.’

‘I-I don’t get it. Why would that happen?’

‘Danchou trusts us to keep you alive and safe, though mishaps can take place since things don’t always go according to plan. In such cases, we need you to know what to do, got it?’

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Ainen nodded.

‘Well, with that out of the way, let’s lure out our prey.’ Nobunaga commented before motioning for the other two ladies to follow him.

********************************

They took corners and walked through numerous lanes, wind scraping trash into the corners if the brick walls of buildings. The smell of musty fabric and all other unpleasantry took the place of the car exhaust and cooking smells drifting from restaurants she had previously gotten a whiff of. As they left the crowded areas of the city, the count of passers-by gradually decreased. The horns of vehicles and numerous chit chatter died into a distance, the shuffle of footsteps through alley debris taking its place.

‘Why do you think we are going somewhere desolate to force out the person?’ Nobunaga questioned, watching her from the corners of his eyes.

‘So innocent people aren’t affected by what might happen?’ Ainen answered, not having given her answer a second thought.

‘Not necessarily, we aren’t as concerned about innocents as you would imagine.’

‘So they have no escape to a crowded area in case things don’t go as planned?’

Nobunaga cocked an eyebrow at her, slightly surprised she managed to give a decent answer the second time.

 _I need to take care of something, in the meantime I want you guys to watch her, maybe teach her a thing or two about the way we do things. I intend on keeping her around so it’s important she doesn’t die. I trust you to keep her alive, but make sure she doesn’t require constant attendance. She must learn how to look after herself too._ Chrollo’s words rang in the back of Nobunaga and Machi’s minds. Ainen’s childhood could not have been any easier than theirs, so it was only common for her to grasp a better understanding of the situation.

‘Indeed. We are not very partial to causing a ruckus in public spaces, it interferes greatly with plans to have a big audience watching you. Soon, someone will appear, and I need you to stick close to me when that happens. Remember what we told you if things don’t go according to plan?’

Ainen nodded, an empty feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. ‘I run and hide until you guys come get me.’

‘Good. It’s unlikely it will happen but in the event that something happens we need to make sure you are also sticking to your part of the plan.’

They turned around another corner into an alley and were faced with a dead end. A stray cat scavenging for food looked up from beneath the hoisted lid of a trash can before scurrying off with a loud hiss, startled by the bloodlust leaking from the intruders. The smell of rotting garbage and food waste infiltrated her nostrils and her face scrunched up in repulse at the rust-pitted dumpster leaking unidentifiable fluid.

A splash of a puddle drew away Ainen’s attention from all rubbish and her eye caught someone else instead. A man with blonde hair tied into a knot and sunglasses stood before them, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. Three other figures appeared from behind him, their faces covered behind the shadows of their hoods. Ainen backed away further, fingers clasping the edges of her shirt.

‘Girl.’ The man with the sunglasses spoke, his voice was hoarse. ‘Are you being held captive?’

‘Captive?’ Nobunaga repeated, his hand uncloaking the dark purple cloth of the scabbard of his sword. ‘Have you ever seen us treat unfortunate guests so kindly?’

‘I suppose not.’ The man rolled up his sleeves, revealing wide veiny forearms from underneath his leather jacket. ‘I am usually against killing young girls, but no spider is unworthy of being crushed.’

A brief moment of silence ensued, the patter of rodent feet cutting through before the people before her disembodied to take the place of dark blurs dancing over her vision.

They moved quickly, too fast for their movements to materialize in her sight. The clash of a sword and arduous grunts filled the emptiness of the alley and Ainen cowered into the wall, the cold wetness of water seeping onto her shoe after stepping into a murky puddle.

The twirl of a blade, a cry of pain, a string of frantic curses from an unfamiliar voice.

Indistinct shapes whirring before her stopped to outline a coherent image in mere minutes. Three of the men she had previously seen lay unconscious before her now, their hands tied to their back. The blond man had lost his sunglasses, his face bruised, and left eye swollen.

‘Where is the fourth?’ Machi asked, looking around.

Something dark appeared in the corner of Ainen’s eye and a scream threatened to come undone from the back of her throat. Instead, she felt her body paralyze, eyes fluttering in anticipation for an impact that never came. In its place, blood splattered onto her face, incarnadine and rank, gushing from a neck the head had been severed from. Behind her, a body dropped between a pile of rubble with a thud and Nobunaga’s, who had appeared beside her, head shot up, his eyes slightly widened in alarm as he sheathed his sword back into place.

_He had killed someone before her._

Nobunaga and Machi looked at Ainen, expecting a black shroud to envelope her as previously described by Chrollo and for her eyes to turn pitch-black. Being forced to issue a kill order would prove to be problematic, considering they couldn’t afford any more of the men to die. They needed to bring them back alive for interrogation. To their surprise, however, there was no alteration in her appearance. Big dark brown eyes stared back at them before they dragged across the alley to the corpse behind. Upon laying her eyes on the decapitated corpse, Ainen placed a hand on her stomach and turned around in the opposite direction before folding over and emptying the contents of her stomach onto the stone ground with a loud retching sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, chapter six! Phew, I had a bit of a busy week. I hope everyone is doing good and that my American readers had fun on July 4th! Again, thank you for all the kudos and comments! I love reading what you guys think about the chapters/ your speculations.

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago I rewatched HxH after 6 years and my slight obsession for the adultrio returned, Chrollo in particular. It has been years since I wrote some fanfiction and now my university classes are over I have some extra time to write something else besides my own novel. Chapters will vary in length, it depends on my mood and what the chapter will focus on. I often write prompts or fanfiction as some sort of warmup before I work on my own novel so I am sorry if some sentence structures or word choices are off! Either way, enjoy the story! :) Also, feedback is appreciated!


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